From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 10: Accusing the Narendra Modi regime of discriminating against Karnataka by not releasing funds for the drought relief works in the State and also not responding to the Congress government’s request for increasing the employment days under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has challenged the State BJP and JD(S) leaders to exert pressure on the Centre to heed the requests of the State.

Speaking to media persons near his residence in Bengaluru on Friday, he lashed out at the BJP and JD(S) leaders for undertaking a politically motivated drought study tour when the Siddaramaiah government has submitted a detailed drought study report as per the relevant Central norms and even the Central Study Team has come and visited the State.

“What are the 25 BJP MPs from Karnataka doing? Don’t they have any concern and commitment for the State and its people, who had elected them? It is the duty of the BJP and its alliance partner JD(S) to fight for the cause of the State and its people reeling under drought conditions,’’ he said.

The BJP and JD(S) study tours of the State for studying the drought situation is a political gimmick aimed at deriving political mileage, he said wondering whether the BJP-JD(S) leaders have no faith and belief in the Modi government’s own study team, which has already visited the State, he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the State Government has already released Rs 800 crore for drought relief works and asked officials to give priority for drinking water supply and also fodder for the cattle.

Out of the 236 taluks in the State, as many as 223 have been declared as drought affected and the government has sought Central relief of Rs 17,000 crore even though the total loss has been estimated at Rs 33,600 crore. “We have shown our commitment,’’ he said.

Shivakumar said the government has requested the Centre to increase in the number of employment days from the present 100 to 150 days in a year under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.

“If the Modi government does not heed our request, the State Government will do it on its own,’’ he said asking the BJP-JD(S) leaders to first mount their pressure on the Centre.

“We are not begging for Central funds. The Government is demanding what the Centre should do as per the prescribed Central norms,’’ he declared.

Answering questions from media persons, he said the State Government has been evicting the street vendors from the footpaths in crowded and narrow streets as per the High Court directions.

The government is ready to help the street vendors by providing loans up to Rs 10,000 to help them rebuild their lives. “I am going to meet the street vendors and appeal to them to honour the High Court orders as their activities on the prominent roads causes accidents and results in traffic congestion,’’ he said.

Asked about the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s demand for conducting a fresh caste census as the Kantharaju Commission report on the backward classes was flawed, Shivakumar said: “Let us first concentrate on tackling the drought situation. We can address all other issues later.’’

Shivakumar said he will be touring Telagana from Vijayawada and campaigning for the Congress candidates in three assembly constituencies. As many as 40 Congress legislators have been asked to campaign for the party in Telangana elections, he said even BJP had done it in the past. “We have, however, not given any extra responsibility to the State Revenue Minister in view of the drought situation in the State,’’ he said.

To a question on BJP’s reported moves to lure 68 Congress MLAs under its ill-famous Operation Kamala, Shivakumar said: “We know all about BJP plans and are not worried about what they are doing. They did such things in the past. We have faith in our MLA’s,’’ he said.

Later, he inaugurated the expansion unit of the Toyota Technical Training Institute at Bidadi in Ramanagar district, in the city outskirts. Congress MP D K Suresh, Minister Mankal Vaidya, MLA H C Balakrishna, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, Toyota Senior Vice President Sudeep Dalvi, Executive Vice President Swapanesh Maru and others were present.